1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an LCD device in which a bezel is reduced in width, and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
As display devices providing more convenient interfaces between human beings and information through visual representation of various types of information have been developed, research into and commercialization of lightweight, thin flat panel displays (FPDs) that may replace cathode ray tubes (CRTs) as existing display devices, has been accelerated.
In the FPD field, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have been commonly used. An LCD device is composed of a liquid crystal panel implementing image information, a driving unit that drives the liquid crystal panel, and a backlight unit that supplies light to the liquid crystal panel.
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a related art LCD device, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-Ii′ in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the related art LCD device 1 is formed by attaching an array substrate 2 and a color filter substrate 3 with a liquid crystal layer (not shown) interposed therebetween.
A plurality of signal lines (not shown) are formed to cross each other in the array substrate 2. Pixels (not shown) are formed in regions formed as the signal lines cross each other, and a plurality of thin film transistors (not shown) are formed in intersections of the signal lines. Also, an alignment layer, namely, a first alignment layer 4a, for aligning liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer is formed on the uppermost portion of the array substrate 2.
A plurality of R, G, and B color filters (not shown) corresponding to the pixels of the array substrate 2 are formed on the color filter substrate 3, and black matrices 5 for preventing light leakage are formed in the other remaining regions excluding the pixels. Also, an alignment layer, namely, a second alignment layer 4b, for aligning liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer is formed on the upper most portion of the color filter substrate 3.
The array substrate 2 and the color filter substrate 3 face each other with a predetermined gap, and a plurality of column spacers 6 may be formed in order to maintain the gap therebetween.
Here, the array substrate 2 and the color filter substrate 3 are attached by a seal pattern 7 formed on the outer edges thereof, respectively. Also, the column spacer 6 may be formed in a non-display region N/A, as well as in a display region A/A, to allow the two substrates to have the same gap in the center and in the outer edges.
The foregoing LCD device 1 includes the display region A/A in which an image is substantially displayed and the non-display region N/A formed to surround the display region A/A. The non-display region N/A is covered by a bezel.
In this case, a width of the non-display region N/A of the LCD device 1 is increased due to the alignment layers 4a and 4b, the column spacer 6, the seal pattern 7, and the like, and thus, a width of the bezel is also increased.
In other words, the related art LCD device 1 requires an alignment layer margin region D1 in consideration of a spreading phenomenon of the alignment layers 4a and 4b formed on the array substrate 2 and the color filter substrate 3, respectively.
Also, the related art LCD device 1 requires a spacer region D2 due to the presence of the column spacer 6 formed to maintain the same height in the central portions and the outer edges of the two attached substrates.
In addition, the related art LCD device 1 requires a seal pattern region D3 due to the presence of the seal pattern 7 formed to attach the array substrate 2 and the color filter substrate 3. Also, the related art LCD device 1 requires a cutting region D4 for a margin in the event of cutting.
All of the alignment layer margin region D1, the space region D2, the seal pattern region D3, and the cutting region D4 form the non-display region N/A, and thus, the total width (D1+D2+D3+D4) of the bezel is increased. The increase in the width of the bezel increases an overall size of the LCD device 1.